NO OTHER CHOICE
Leandro’s P.O.V.
“Daya—nara. Yeah, it was a certain Dayanara. Dayanara Clariz, to be exact—” Steve intoxicatedly confirmed before he finally slept in front of me. I wanted him to spill the beans, but I didn’t know that he would drop a grenade instead.
Wait, what! Did I hear it right? Did he really say Diane’s real name? Was it clearly Dayanara Clariz or my ears were just fooling me?
“Bro, wake up! Damn it, hey!” I almost pleaded. I tried to slap Steve’s face hard enough to wake him up, but he was really drunk. If only I could punch his face here, I would have done that. But I had no other choice but to let go of him now because it looked like he was drowned in a stupor and would never wake up.
“Holy crap!” My whole body was trembling right now. Suddenly, I became weak while holding my chest because something was stabbing on it.
Of all the women in the Philippines, why does it have to be Diane? No! I wish I was wrong. I really hoped that Diane and that girl who Liam raped before were just having the same names! There were probably a lot of Dayanaras in the world, not just my Diane.
The odds had a high-percent chance that it wasn’t the woman I loved. Also, it already happened about three and a half years ago! Steve could no longer remember her exact name, and he was even drunk right now. He wasn’t in his right mind, and he might only be making up stories involving the name of Dayanara.
But come to think of it, Leandro. The time when Liam came back to the Philippines—that was almost the same time that Diane received a bouquet with a fucking note, right?
“Now that I found you, I will never let you go. Not now, not anymore!” —L
That initial L was indeed Liam, and it already confirmed that he was searching for Diane. So, when he finally found her, he fulfilled what he wrote in that letter—that he would never let her go?
Was that the main reason why he took her away from me without considering that I am his own brother? Is that so? Because he believed that he came first? Well, he only got her first, but it was me who got the chance to know her first!
Shit, hell damn it! Did Diane know that it was Liam who raped her and ruined her life? Was she traumatized? Was that the reason why she decided to just dance in the club? Because of her dirty past?
Always forcing my love to her, I knew that I had never been good the way I courted her. Yes, I would love to fill my mind with her sexual fantasies, but I would never rape her! I had no other choice but to huff on the couch while watching the people partying around. Now was not the right time to give up.
Drowned in my undying love, I would go back to the Philippines as soon as possible because I better warn Diane. I didn’t care anymore if she was no longer a virgin or what, I promised to do everything I could just for her not to end up with Liam!
I stopped reminiscing when Liam dragged me out of my reverie. “Why? What do you want to say to my girlfriend, huh? Haven’t you moved on, Leandro? I thought everything was already clear before you went to the States? But it looks like you haven’t yet accepted your defeat.”
Having no other choice, I smiled at him foolishly—not minding his other questions for me. “How about you, Liam? Maybe, you have something to say about what really happened four years ago? On the night of your steamy twenty-third birthday, my dear brother?” I grimaced after emphasizing the words steamy and dear brother.
He stared at me intently, but he did not speak for a long time. I jutted my chin and stood tall, even darting my eyes to my traitor brother. I was again in a staring contest with Liam because I would never let him defeat me the second time around.
Checkmate! I devilishly smiled after knowing that I caught him off-guard. Based on his brooding and sank facial expression, he suddenly became vulnerable—too much for my satisfaction.
His helpless reaction confirmed my assumptions that he had not yet told everything to Diane. Why? Because he was afraid that when Diane found out about that filthy truth, she would leave him anytime soon.
The last laugh will be mine, brother!
The once-powerful Liam Arthur Evangelista was defenseless now, and I couldn’t get happier to witness that. It was already the start of how his world would crumble and fall apart.
“Oh! What’s with that expression, dear brother? Don’t you know how to answer questions? Well, did you tell Diane already? Or you want me to tell her and—” I wasn’t able to continue my sentence because he already cut me off.
“Shut up!” he yelled. His voice thundered across my whole office, but I didn’t even move an inch. I could see the veins coming out from his neck while he was trying hard to control his fury.
That’s right, Liam! Show your anger. Let’s see who is the real villain here.
“Oh! Easy, bro! I haven’t said anything yet, and here you are… acting so crazy. I haven’t done anything yet, but you looked like a child who had been stolen with his favorite candy!” I pretended to be calm because I knew I had the ace card. Diane chose him last year, but now?
Then, I scathingly continued. “You can ask me sincerely so I could never tell Diane about that dirty little secret of yours, right? We can be comrades here while protecting the unknown. Not in a sense that I haven’t yet finished talking here, and you’re interfering right away! Where are your manners, dude?” I teased him, at the same time, insulting him with my imprudent leer. I was defeated last year, but I wouldn’t let that happen again.
Liam furiously marched towards me and pushed me on the table. With his force that was much stronger than mine, and due to the sudden impact with how he nudged me, things fell from my desk including my laptop that made a loud screech off the floor.
Damn him! That’s where I saved some of Diane’s photos!
He grabbed me by my collar and lifted it slightly while piercing me with his burning glares. “You don’t know the whole story, so shut the fuck up, Leandro, or else—” Liam was trembling in anger.
Now was my chance to cut him off, so I used the opportunity to clutch him by his collar too. “Or else what? You will threaten me again that I haven’t seen the worst of you?” I lopsidedly shook my head before I continued.
“Did you really think that I’m afraid of you, Liam? I’m not, and you fucking know that more than anyone! I just wanted to get what’s mine from the very start.” My eyes narrowed as I indiscreetly mocked him again. I was making sure that my grin would frustrate him.
“No one is yours, Leandro! Not even Diane, so stay away from her. Stay. Away. From. Us!” He was gritting his teeth and clenching his jaws as he growled those words, stressing the last four words. It looked like the veins all over his neck would be cut off, and his grasp would suffocate me due to his excessive pressure.
“You know what? You’re not really in love with Diane! What you only felt for her was guilt. You are only fooling her, bro! If you truly love her, don’t you think she deserves to know the truth?” I cleared my throat because his grip was choking me.
“Haven’t you realized that you actually raped her on the night of her birthday? While you were enjoying that night and pleasuring yourself with her body, she must be despising it. She must be cursing you to hell!” I wanted to attack his conscience.
I used to follow Diane ever since, and I knew a lot about her. At some point, I blamed myself for why I wasn’t by her side the moment Liam’s friends kidnapped her. If I was there, then it would never happen. Their fates would never meet.
Liam had not raped Diane yet, I already knew that they both had the same birthday. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t know about it. After all, they didn’t know each other, and there was no point in continuing their hopeless relationship now that Diane was close to knowing the truth.
Then, I still couldn’t keep my mouth shut. “You don’t have any plans of telling Diane, right? Because you’re damnably afraid that when she finds out the whole truth, she will leave you right away!” I asserted, triggering his guilt.
Liam did not speak, as if he realized that he was already near to his dead end. He just let go of my collar, turned his back on me, and headed towards the direction of the door. I must admit that I got out of balance with his strength, and if not for the table, I could have landed straight to the floor.
He was about to leave my office when I spoke again, “You can have my word. Leave Diane, and I won’t tell her the truth.”
“Over my dead body!” he answered me before slamming my office door shut, creating a loud bang.
“Then, you left me with no other choice!” I whispered. I didn’t know why but what he said literally gave me an idea—a selfish idea to finally get Diane back.